Steampunk Granny's Road Trips through Charters and Clans

                                                           

Did that title grab your attention? Good, because I was definitely a busy bee the past week. When you’ve written your first book in a series and while you’re finishing the second book and outlining what will happen in the third and a possible fourth book, you need to be out there in that big wide world promoting yourself and your book. Steampunk Granny (little ole me) is good at promoting not only myself, but all my friends. I have no intention of climbing that ladder of success alone; it could get very lonely at the top. No, I’m bringing all my friends with me.

                                                                     

I wrote an earlier blog  explaining how selling your book is a little bit like pimping or acting the part of hooker...sans the sex part. But, what I wanted to stress in that blog was how much fun you can have going on book signings. I’m gregarious by nature and can start a conversation with just about anyone, but if you are, by nature, a shy person, then book signings can be devastating hard to do. I recommend the buddy system. I had the opportunity to practice the buddy system when our writers’ group South Jersey Writers’ Group published our first anthology, Tall Tales & Short Stories from South Jersey.

                                                                 

                                                       

My partner and I, Dawn Byrne, hit the book signing trail fresh from the gate and over the last two years our promoting style evolved from two little meek church mice to the Lone Ranger and Tonto rides again. We take turns playing the Lone Ranger with my version of Tonto closer to that of Johnny Depp’s.

                                                                    

Sometimes, I will go on solo book signings, but most of the times Dawn and I ride together and sometimes we have a fellow author ride along. Like I said these past two weeks have been my busiest and it helps to have a sidekick with you.

I love meeting people and I love interviewing them. Because of my insatiable curiosity about the world around me, I have met some very interesting and talented people who share the same interests as me and since I’m an Empath and do ghost investigations and I love everything “Steampunk” and I’m also retired from a prestigious museum, The Academy of Natural Sciences, I have lots to talk about.

                                       Cinsearae, Dawn, and Steampunk Granny                       

This week, I went from selling books at the Landis Farmers' Market in Vineland to the Marconi Senior Center on 15^th & Porter Streets in South Philly to a library in Maple Shade, to Bogart's Book Store in Millville and a historic library in Burlington. In between all the book signings, I 've done several interviews, one which will be posted on Biff Bam Pop. on actress/dancer Dawn Noel.

                                                                    

Dawn is a n amazingly talented South Philly girl from my old neighborhood and who's made a name for herself on stage and television. Dawn has made it possible for me to set up an upcoming interview with Chad Coleman better known as Tyreese from "The Walking Dead."  I'll let you know when it's posted on www.biffbampopcom

                                                                

                                                        

This week, I had the pleasure of selling my books at The Library Company of Burlington and thanks to the library’s Director and Guardian Angel, Sharon Vincz, I sold lots of books. I also take psychic classes every week at the Library which is given by Marti Haines of the Ghost Hunter’s Store. This week, the members of the class attended the celebration of the original charter.

                                                                  

This charter dates back to 1758 by England’s King George the second. The present day British Queen, Elizabeth, wrote a letter congratulating the library on its celebration.

                                                                    

Yesterday, Dawn Byrne, Nanci Rainey and I went to Millville and Bogart’s Bookstore to pimp our books. There was a town wide yard sale and Bogart’s also had live entertainment.

                                                                     

I think the wonderful greengrass original and Celtic Nations folk music of Clan Suibhne (pronounced Sweeney) helped us with our book sales.

                                                                 

Selling your books can be viewed as a monumental task or a Hobbit’s adventure and it starts with the author making the decision to put themselves out there. Don’t be shy and make that first step of the journey by contacting book stores, cafes and libraries and who knows? You might even bump into me and I might want to interview you.

Dogs, Books and Dr. Oz

                                                      

 

This has been quite a week for me. My daughter and her family had gone on a well-deserved get away for a few days, leaving me to take care of little LeLe, one of their dogs. LeLe and my two Chihuahuas, Godzilla and Snowflake got along great and my husband and I enjoyed the antics of the three dogs.

                                                            

My husband is getting used to coming to some of my book signings and people are getting to know the man behind Steampunk Granny. This Thursday night I had a book signing at the Maple Shade Library and on Saturday, Super D (Dawn Byrne), Super N (Nanci Rainey) and I headed over to the Landis Farmers Market in Vineland, New Jersey and the Novel Idea Chapter Two’s second Annual Autumn Author Event.

                                                                      

 

It was hosted by the owner of the Novel Idea Chapter Two Bookstore, Linda Eisenberg with the help of Kristen Battestella Snouffer, author extraordinaire and guardian angel.

                                                          

Linda and Kristen make all the plans and do all the hard work of getting this popular event on tract. There were many authors there and all seemed to be doing a good job of selling their books. One writer, Tom Geden aka Sir Good Knight even put on a show for the children at the market. His link is here. www.sirgoodknight.com

                                                               

Although Kristin was fighting a cold, she braved the sniffles to make sure we all had our spaces ready. Love you Kristin. It was a productive day for all with Dawn selling our South Jersey Writers’ Group’s two anthologies Tall Tales and Short Stories from South Jersey and Reading Glasses and Nanci selling her book, One More Day in the Driver’s Seat.

                                                             

Cinseare Santiago Reiniger and her husband Dan, were there selling their books, jewelry and adorable zombie dolls.

                                                       

I sold several of my books and took a picture of my first sale; a lovely family who bought both Roof Oasis, the first book in my apocalyptic tale with a twist and Chicken Soup for the Soul’s “Touched by an Angel” and I have a story in this edition called Angel on the Footbridge.

                                                                

I was contacted on Friday by the VP of Chicken Soup for the Soul to tell me that the Dr. Oz show is interested in having some of the writers who contributed to “Touched by an Angel on their show and I was one of the people chosen. It’s set for December 4^th. I’ll find out more in a few days. I am so excited. I believe in angels, I believe in miracles and when you believe; good things happen.

                                                       

My daughter and her family are back from their trip and they are preparing to take in Jim’s seriously ill father. They’ve already taken in Jim’s Uncle John who has an Intellectual Disability. Uncle John and Big Jim are in the right hands. My daughter and her husband are such loving and caring people who have put all their energy into making a safe home for both men.   

                                                                

I’m keeping LeLe a bit longer. I insisted. I like that little dog and she likes me and ReRe and Jim need to devote all their attention on the humans for now.

 

Steampunk Granny Reviews Gone Girl

                                                              

       

The other week, my daughter and I went to a matinee showing of Gone Girls, staring Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike and Neil Patrick Harris. Neither one of us had read the book, by Gillian Flynn, but hearing great reviews about the film, we figured this was a perfect time to see the much raved about story.

                                                              

It was pouring rain and freezing that day, which made for a perfect day to sit in a dark theatre munching on our favorite candies. Did we like the film? Did it live up to all the hype?

Plot

Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) and his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) are celebrating their fifth anniversary. Amy is part of a franchise, “The Amazing Amy”, a series of books written about her childhood by her cold and publicity seeking parents.

Nick heads off to the bar that he co-owns with his twin sister Margo (Carrie Coon). We haven’t seen Amy as of yet, but we know that Nick doesn’t look to happy. When Nick returns home, he is surprised to find the house a mess and his wife missing. He calls the police and this is where the story leads us down an “Alice in Wonderland” tunnel into the seedy side of marriage.

                                                                        

The film starts with the voice over of Nick saying that he would like to crack open his wife’s head to learn what she’s thinking and then we jump from past to present in a series of revelations that make you wonder if Nick is a killer.

Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) and Officer Gilpin (Patrick Fugit) argue over whether the scene of kidnapping and possible murder is a setup and if Nick is a cold blooded killer. Maybe it's because Nick is acting so strangely and not at all like the loving husband he claims to be.When Amy’s diary is found in Nick’s childhood home’s furnace, the police are shocked by Amy’s claim that she fears for her life and that her husband is going to kill her.

                                                                 

In a series of twists that reveals not only how the neighborhood women adored Amy and hated Nick to statements by two of Amy’s former disgruntled boyfriends like Desi Collings (Neil Patrick Harris) who paint a slightly different picture of Amy. Are you confused yet? Good! Because it’s this back and forth revelation of who is the more depraved partner in this story book marriage that kept my daughter and I on the edge of our seats.

Conclusion

This is a film that I’m highly recommending. It’s a peek into a marriage gone sour and a mirror for those of us who are planning on getting married, or...are already married. It makes us want to ask our partners, “What are you thinking?”

We may not want to know.

 

Steampunk Granny Interviews Reading Glasses Author, Richard Voza

                                                               

I’m very happy to introduce Richard Voza, a life-long New Jersey resident.  He has written four novels, one of which (Connecting Flight) will be released by Start Publishing. Most of his work tends to lean in the paranormal direction, but there’s always room for humor in the mix. His film reviews can be found at Cinekatz.com.  He sometimes hangs out with the South Jersey Writers Group.  His current work-in-progress is a time-travel novel called Time.

 

Marie Gilbert: Hi Richard, it’s a pleasure doing this interview with you and I have lots of questions. First tell us a bit about yourself and how and what got you into writing.

Richard Voza: Ever since college, I have always had something that I could consider a “work in progress.”  During college I wrote a screenplay, my first real piece of work, and I sent that to a film agent.  Good news: he loved it.  Bad news: he told me to keep my eye out for a movie coming out soon called “Pretty Woman.” The only difference between my story and that film was that my main character was a rock star instead of a “Wall Street” type of guy.  About 20 years ago, during my early years teaching, I wrote a story about a boy caught in the middle of the Civil War.  Since then, my writing and attitude have grown up.

While teaching for 25 years, I wasn’t taking my writing very seriously. I was always working on something, but I would just stop after a second or third draft and then do almost nothing with it.  After 15 years of teaching, I realized that I needed to get more serious about it.  I then wrote three novels in about five years.  During the past three years – after completely stepping away from education – I’ve been more focused than ever and now have a right to call myself “published.”

Marie Gilbert: You have four books under your belt so far, which one is your favorite? I know this is a tough question, but there has to be one that you favor more than the rest.

Richard Voza: you're right, this is a tough question. However, if a choice must be made, I’ll have to go with an older book, Room 317.  It's about a man who has had so many things go wrong in his life that he's contemplating suicide.  Before doing so, he wants to see the Pacific Ocean.  On his way there, he stumbles into a situation in which he simultaneously witnesses an "organized" crime while also endangering the lives of a single mom and her child.  He knows he could easily protect himself and walk away, but instead he is willing to potentially sacrifice himself to protect them.  His personal circumstances make him a candidate to jump off a building or blow himself up in a crowded movie theater, but instead he manages to attempt something positive.

 

                                                                 

Marie Gilbert: What was your inspiration for Mrs. Rabinski? Is she based on anyone that you know?

Richard Voza: Don’t tell anyone, but Mrs. Rabinski is based very closely on someone I know.  Although that person has not exactly done the things that Mrs. Rabinski does, her own life conditions are similar. This is how most, possibly all of my writing is generated.  I look at real-life situation, and I simply think, "How could this become interesting?"  While accompanying someone on a similar doctor visit that Mrs. Rabinski attends, I twisted it into something else.  To the best of my recollection, that's the same process for everything I have ever written. 

Marie Gilbert: What are you working on now?

Richard Voza: My current work-in-progress is tentatively titled "Time."  Yeah, that's a bad title, but it's short and easy to type until I change it.  I have always loved and wanted to write a time travel story, but the problem for me was that I couldn't write one until I had what I considered an "acceptable" time travel device or theory.  The nuclear DeLorean hitting 88 mph was already taken, and other devices in books I’ve read were just dumb to me.  I was watching a science television show a few months ago about parallel universes when I finally found my idea/device, and it's connected to déjà vu. The story involves a character much like in Room 317, but this time the man with nothing much to live for volunteers for an experiment that might send him back in time where he potentially can correct all of his mistakes, or he might die. Or both.

 

                                                                      

Marie Gilbert: It’s always nice when we get to see you at the South Jersey Writers’ Group. What drew you to our group and why would you recommend someone joining a writers’ group.

Richard Voza: I found the group after complaining to a friend about a bad writers' group I had joined. She showed me the Meetup.com website, and a quick search resulted in the SJWG.  The best part of this and hopefully any writers' group is the camaraderie and encouragement to move forward with your work. At my first meeting, I heard members talking sadly about their rejection letters.  I interrupted and said, "Hey.  Don’t feel down about that.  A rejection means you're trying.  I have no rejections to talk about at the moment, but that means that I haven't been trying hard enough."  Now, about a year later, I have a novel titled “Connecting Flight” that will be released in a few months by Start Publishing, a small press in New York.

Marie Gilbert: You do movie reviews. What type of movies do you like to watch?

Richard Voza: I mostly enjoy movies about "real" people.  What I mean is I don't like movies about wealthy people who have the ability to hop on a private jet and zip to wherever and buy whatever.  Most of us like those movies because they involve an escape to a fun and exciting lifestyle - but it's nothing I can relate to.  I prefer movies that could be stories about people I actually know with problems that must be solved by real people who don't have extreme weapons or government connections.

Marie Gilbert: Did you ever write a bad review of a movie that everyone else liked?

Richard Voza: Oh dear yes. I have had the most trouble with my review of 2001: A Space Odyssey.  To me, it was 80% all about the technology without much of a story.  It had the potential for a fabulous story, but it left that undeveloped.  It also had one of the most indecipherable endings ever.  I’ve been told that if I read the book, then I’ll completely understand the ending.  To me, that's unfair.  A good movie needs to stand on its own without the book as a crutch.  I have had email arguments with the late great Roger Ebert about this movie.  We also argued about his love and my similar dislike of The Great Gatsby, another work that everyone loves – except me.

Marie Gilbert: Richard I want to thank you for this interview for our Reading Glasses Fans. I loved your story, Mrs. Rabinski and I also have known people just like her. I’ll be looking forward to reading your upcoming book, “Connecting Flight” and I’m sure after our followers read Mrs. Rabinski, they’ll want to read your novel, too.

 

You can find Reading Glasses on Amazon, Kindle and Smashwords and you can find my book Roof Oasis, an apocalyptic tale with a twist on Amazon and Kindle. The second book in the series will be out this summer.

                                                                         

 

A Message from Steampunk Granny

                                                           

      Vote like your very life depends on it

This goes out to all the young people out there and the baby boomers who should know better. It is a right and a privilege to vote. We have fought many wars for this right. Get out and vote!!!

I don't care what party you vote for...just get the hell out there and vote...because you loose what you don't use.

If you feel that government has no authority to tell a woman that she can't use birth control, then my little zombie snacks vote Democratic.

If you feel that it's wrong for Big Corporations to commit treason by moving jobs overseas just to get out of paying their taxes...then vote Democratic.

If you feel that we should have stronger regulation over the crap they're putting in our foods and that our foods should be labeled with the amount of toxins, sugars and salt which is in the package...then vote.

                                                       

If you feel that it's wrong for government to interfere in same sex marriages...then vote Democratic.

If you feel that there is something wrong with a political party telling us to hate the poor and that the poor want to be poor...then vote Democratic.

Political parties, both Republican and Democratic...but mostly Republicans have been stealing from Social Security for years. Tax payers like me have paid into this system since our first day on the job. Punish the party that wants to take Social Security from the people who paid into it....and from me...my little munchkins. I've been working since I was seven years old and unlike big corporations, I've never cheated on my taxes. I paid into the system. Don't cheat the little guy go after the bums who won't pay their fare share.

Congress has disgraced us in front of the world by being a do nothing entity and all because they want to disgrace Obama to the world....but you know...they make us all look like fools. Kick every one of the bums out and install the people who will show up every day to work and speaking of Congress...here is Granny's new rules

1. Congress only gets the same health care as the poorest person in the country...they want better...they pay for it. What's good for the goose is good for the lazy ganders.

2. Congress only gets paid for days worked...And, they only get two weeks vacation. They wanted to be in politics and that is all they get.

3. WE stop the big retirement packages for people in Congress. Until all the tax payers have a decent living wage and a decent retirement package, Congress gets nothing!!!!

                                                        

4. Put more money into education... and more money into taking care of our veterans who risk their lives to fight a war to make certain people rich. How dare we make education so hard to achieve? If we tax these fat cat corporations, we'll have enough money for every child to go to college...got it?

                                                             

It doesn't matter what political party you belong to, it just seems that an honest man or woman have a hard time keeping their morals when lobbyists are able to bribe them with big gifts. Until the tax payers have a lobbyist, all special interest and big money corporations should be banned from Washington D.C.

Steampunk Granny Interviews Leonardo Ramirez of the Jupiter Chronicles

                                                              

I meet the nicest people through my connections with writing, book signings, Steampunk, and ghost investigations. Leonardo Ramirez is one of those nice people. I came to know Leonardo because of an interesting kickstarter he has going on. You’ll want to learn all about this kickstarter, but first a chat with the very talented author of the Jupiter Chronicles.

Marie Gilbert: Hi Leonardo. I’m happy to have you on my blog.

Leonardo Ramirez: Hi Marie! Good to hear from you. That is so very kind of you to want to support our campaign. The way to do it though, is to simply pledge through the website which you can find here: http://bit.ly/SteampunkKickstarter. Your interview and your posts certainly help so thank you!

Marie Gilbert: How did you get involved with Steampunk? I have my oldest grandchild, Allie Gilbert, to thank for introducing me to Dorian’s Parlor and the world of Steampunk.

Leonardo Ramirez: As far as what drew me into Steampunk? I would say its untapped nature. I don't care much for following the trends that everyone else marches to the beat of (right now, I think it's zombies) but instead prefer to fill a need or a gap that needs filling and start there. While there is quite a bit of Steampunk literature available for YA there is close to nothing for kids that don't want to read a 500 page book. I love CS Lewis and loved the Chronicles of Narnia series so I wanted to write something that closely fit that audience.

 

                                                                     

Marie Gilbert: Do you feel that children, (grade 3 and up) who are so entwined with video games, would understand a world where technology is powered by steam. I ask because I’m worried that we’ve lost that inventive spirit and spark of imagination that Steampunk offers. How has the feedback been from children, parents and teachers, especially, science teachers?

 

                                                                  

Leonardo Ramirez: It's not been an easy sell, surprisingly enough. You would think that the thought of a Steampunk Children's series being pitched into Steampunk online communities would be like throwing gas onto a fire. To the contrary, it’s been very difficult to get true Steampunkers behind it possibly because it's meant for kids. There are shows that I grew up on that I would still watch with my daughter even as an adult so I'm hoping to get the project noticed by the community even if it's meant for a younger audience. I, for one, haven't stopped watching animated shows!  

 

I do agree that kids are struggling to find their voice and the spark of creativity. Parents, teachers and kids, on the other hand, have been ecstatic about the series. This past weekend I attended Geek Media Expo where I was approached by a gentleman who runs a family-friendly geek convention for kids in Memphis and has asked us to come out as a guest. I had one Science teacher of special needs kids who bought the books for her class since they were written for reluctant readers. 

 

                                                                     

I've heard it said that Steampunk is on the decline but I vehemently disagree with that. I think that what it needs is a property like Star Wars or Star Trek for fans to rally around and draw more people to it. I'm hoping that The Jupiter Chronicles can be a vehicle for that. Despite the audience it was originally written for, the universe of The Jupiter Chronicles is vast. The moons of Jupiter are each a world of their own that revolves around Jupiter and each one has their own nature apart from the others. 

 

                                                                         

That is why I want to start an animated series. With an animation studio like Magnetic Dreams behind it we can make it top-notch and with our Kickstarter campaign we can make it happen. The cast is diverse and includes a disabled primary character who uses a prosthetic claw for a hand and two steam-powered rockets that come out of his feet for flight. 

                                                         

                              

I've been writing for a long time. My first published work was a graphic novel called, Haven that was published by Markosia Enterprises. It's the story of a descendant of Dante Alighieri who is tasked to battle the nine circles of hell much like her ancestors before her. The nine circles call themselves, The Aristocracy and are embedded in our society at every level. Because that story is vast as well I felt it was necessary to release a prose novel version of it which released in 2012 and called, Haven of Dante.

 

                                                                        

Marie Gilbert: How is the Kickstarter doing and have you reached your goal?

Leonardo Ramirez: If there is one thing I'd want to share with folks considering donating to The Jupiter Chronicles it is this. The untapped potential that this has is endless. Because of the way it's set up there are years of stories to tell. It's fun and fast-paced and kids love it. It's diverse and tackles the issues of growing up in a single-parent family in the angst that befalls it's main character, Ian. There's a lot of heart that goes into this. Not just from me but from my family so I'm very grateful for the interview and for helping spread the word.

Thanks!

                                                                  

Marie Gilbert: Thank you so much for being a guest on my blog and I’m sending in my check to the Kickstarter today. If you want your children to read good science fiction, then you can give to the Kickstarter and if you want to learn more about Leonardo Ramirez, check out the sites below.

Leonardo Ramirez, Author

 

Visit Science Fiction for the Human Condition at Leonardoverse.com.

Learn more about the Steampunk Children's Series at JupiterChronicles.com.

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4225466.Leonardo_Ramirez

 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/leonardoverse

 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/jupiterchronicles

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Leonardo-Ramirez/e/B004TZGCD6/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

 

 

 

How Steampunk Granny Became a Hooker

                                                                   

My husband, Dan, keeps telling me that I’m working harder now that I’m retired. Do women really retire? The house still needs to be cleaned and the meals cooked...women don’t really retire. He is right about one thing; I am busier than ever. I spend most of my time writing, babysitting, writing, ghost hunting, writing, book signings, writing...you get the picture.

Writing the book is the easy part, at least for me. The stories are in my mind and they struggle to be released...but, selling the book, well that’s a horse of a different color altogether.

                                                                     

Promote, Promote, Promote! How do we do that? I contact coffee shops, libraries and book stores. To tell the truth, I will sell my book just about anywhere. I had the pleasure and the opportunity to sell my book, Roof Oasis, this past Tuesday night at a little shop in Audubon, New Jersey called Steampunk Works. I sold a few books and had fun talking to the amazing shop owners, Lee and Ralph Cobert. They have the best Steampunk clothing and accessories that you’ll ever want or need to razzle and dazzle at the next Steampunk Ball.

I really go all “Full Metal Jacket” to sell my book and you can usually find me at a venue waving my book in the air and trying to get people to stop and listen to my quick rundown on what the book is about. A close friend, fellow writer, and fellow member of the South Jersey Writers’ Group, James Knipp, once described my book as: Romeo and Juliet meets the walking dead written by Jules Verne. He’s right about that and “Saving Solanda” the second book in the series (which should be out by June) will have even more action and a few new characters.

                                                                 

So, let’s get back to promoting and selling my book. I told my daughter the other day that sometimes when I’m selling my book, I feel like a hooker. You know...“Hey mister! I have something that you want! Imagine their surprise when they realize it’s not what they think...Yes, I’ve turned into a book whore; a book hooker.

Do I mind being a book whore? Nah...I’m gregarious person by nature and I love meeting new people and learning about them. In fact, while I’m busy promoting my book and my love of Steampunk and ghost hunting, I also love promoting other people. I have met some of the nicest and talented people: actors, directors, musicians, fashion designers, models, authors, dead people and all because of my writing and book signing. I want to know their stories, what makes them tick and then I send their interviews and stories out into the world...

                                                                   

This week, I’ll be pimping myself at a few places and you can come look for me. I’m the one dressed in the Steampunk clothing with a ghost or two hanging around. Look for me in Maple Shade this November 6th at 6:00. I'll be at the Maple Shade Library on 200 Stiles Ave , Maple Shade N.J. 08052